The form follows a scriptural description found in the Divyavadana, that describes a stupa as having four staircases, three platforms and an egg-like dome, as well as the other usual elements.
According to Divyavadana he was a follower of the Tirthikas and used to criticize the Buddhist monks for living a comfortable life.
While including accounts from the Pali Vinaya Pitaka ("Basket of Discipline"), this literature also includes a large number of Sanskrit collections, of which the chief are the Mahāsaṅghika's Mahāvastu ("Great Book"), and the Sarvāstivāda's Avadanasataka (Century of Legends) and Divyavadana (The Heavenly Legend).